Shotlist

How maps are made from earliest times to the present. In modern times, the map makers call on automobiles with the stuff to help them in their survey and research jobs.

Ken Smith sez: A peppy narrator (the same one from Leave It To Roll-Oh) and fast-paced visuals try desperately to convince us that map making is exciting. The best sequences are those where we follow the "map detective" with his car full of instruments.

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Reviews

Nice shots of Palm Springs environs, when it was apparently about 5% developed and those other cities weren't even thought of yet.

I shudder to think those boys go out in that rattlesnake infested wilderness in 110+ heat on rubble with those old timey tires which were always good for a blowout just when you least expected it and farthest from civilization.

Also looked like they were doing some road building on Big Bear as well.

Nice film that shows how maps are made - and laughably uses the word "modern" about 50 times.

This Jam Handy film breezily describes to us the field of cartography, showing us how roadmaps are researched and printed. I personally find this to be pretty interesting, though others might not. The film also has historical value in that it gives us a good idea of how maps were made and the conditions of roads during the 40s.
Ratings: Camp/Humor Value: **. Weirdness: ***. Historical Interest: ****. Overall Rating: ***.

This overview on mapping is quite well put together and breezily edited. It tells of how maps are constantly changing, and how the cartographers make the changes. If that appeals to you, then by all means watch it. All others, stay away, or else be caught napping :)